1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an improved magnetic head suspension assembly (HSA). The HSA is a component within a disk drive which orients a magnetic read/write head over the desired position on the storage media from which information is to be accessed or to which it is to be transferred. More specifically, the invention relates to a load beam and flexure assembly in which the flexure arms are formed to specific novel width ratios. The load beam and flexure assemblies of the present invention demonstrate specific improvements, such as increased lateral stiffness without substantial change to the pitch and roll stiffnesses, reduced pitch and roll stiffnesses without substantial change to the lateral stiffness, and decreased pitch and roll stiffnesses with increased lateral stiffness of the flexure as compared to prior art assemblies.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With the advent of more powerful computers and the rapid growth in the personal computer market, it has become increasingly more important to enable a user to access data from storage devices with increased speed and accuracy.
Because there is a need to reduce access times to enable rapid retrieval of data, it has become increasingly more important to reduce undesirable levels of vibration of components within the rigid disk drive. Vibration of drive components can cause instability of the drive's servo system. It also may delay the transfer of data, because data can not be confidently transferred until the amplitude of the vibration has substantially decayed. The current invention addresses this problem by providing flexures, load beams, and flexure and load beam assemblies of specific geometry to selectively increase lateral stiffness and/or reduce pitch and roll stiffnesses of the HSA to meet the needs of particular usages and environments.
In terms of the dynamic characteristics of head suspension assemblies, higher vibration amplitudes or gains are more acceptable at higher frequencies. Lower spring rates yield better gram stability through stack up tolerances of drive actuator assemblies. A lower flexure and load beam assembly pitch and roll stiffness helps maintain assembly compliance. Increases in flexure lateral stiffness decrease unwanted assembly compliance.